Angels in the Forest
by Chris Lozinski
Summary: A One-Shot. This is a mission of DMC 4. Nero climbs the steps of the Ancient Training Ground to battle a very familiar enemy, but not all is what it seems as he bears witness to the sickening work of Aguns. Strangely, there are now Angels in the Forest


**Angels in the Forest**

Another single bead of sweat trickled down his forehead and sharply glistened on his cheek as he shielded his eyes from the piercing rays of the hot sun. He exhaled long and deep, placing one hand on his red leather collar and pulling it away from his damp chest. He raised one hand up to his forehead and wiped away the remaining cold tears of sweat.

This_ Forest_ was getting to him.

He looked up and squinted toward the thick, translucent beams of light cutting through the large leafs, then held up his other forearm to the dreadful sun. It was instantly bathed in the fiery shine.

This arm, however, felt no heat. It rarely felt any pain at all. The light from the sun illuminated the bright blue fingertips and underarm cocooned in a razor-sharp outer shell that was deep purple and charcoal. He examined the tips of his bright blue fingers and, with a smirk, symbolically crushed the small sun in his palm. "If only_ it_ could reach that far…"

"It" was a much more pleasing name to call his forearm than "Devil Bringer", "Hell Hand", or any of the other names that the people of Fortuna called it when they had the split second to see it. It mattered not. He kept it well hidden when necessary.

Exhaling, he pressed onward through for forests' path. He was pleased to find that this particular next area of the forest had some shade. It had taken him as long as he could possibly imagine to solve the lost woods puzzle. He walked endlessly through stone archway after archway, but to no avail, he ended up right back at the spot where the puzzle started. Cursing to himself, he looked at the ground and noticed the shadow of the small altar in the center of the area. With no effort at all, he followed the opposite path of the shadow time and time again, beating forest's game.

"As if the heat isn't enough," he thought. "Now the forest wants to _play games _with me."

He stretched out his arms and pulled himself upward onto a small stone staircase to which a thick, circular-shaped bridge was attached. He crossed the small bridge with ease, punching a large cocoon of larva at the end.

He snickered to himself, but it soon left his face once he saw the wonder that was in front of him. He larva from the cocoon had fallen no less than six-hundred feet to the barely visible ground below. Before him was a large stretch of stone-carved bridge. Flags of all sorts flickered in the wind and lined the top pillars that held the bridge in place. Petite, round vases held more green plant life and were symmetrically placed along each small groove between pillars.

The stone bridge, however, led to something much larger; something he could not yet see. Curiosity getting the better of him, he decided to sprint down the long bridge. Upon reaching the end, he was forced to duck down as he entered the low, narrow corridor linking the bridge behind him and the new, unexplored area.

He straightened his back and slowly began to ascend the thirty odd steps in front of him that seemed to lead nowhere. As he reached the top, he blinked heavily. The sun furiously attacked his eyes as he again raised his twisted and hideously deformed arm over his forehead.

The heat in this new area was at its peak and was with out a doubt, unbearable. Faint images now began to fill the dark spaces between blinks as he lowered his arm. He was standing on a circular area like the one before, but this one dwarfed the other in size.

As he continued onward, he noticed something emerging from the other side of the Ancient Training Ground.

It was a man. As he came closer into view, Nero realized who it was. He could not be mistaken; the gold plated long, pearl-white overcoat, the shiny black combat boots, the slicked back brown hair and pointy chin beard—it was Credo, the Supreme Commander of the Order of the Sword's Holy Knights.

What was he doing in such a place like this? Why was he walking with such valor and prestige when he knew the current state of things, and most importantly, why did the peculiar look on his face spell out danger to Nero?

Something was out of place. Nero stopped in his tracks and allowed Credo to come the rest of the way to the center of the large circle. Strangely, Credo continued to walk toward him, his frown deepening with every step.

"That's a look you shoot your enemy," said Nero, pointing a finger at Credo. No response.

Nero sighed. He was very confused. "Okay…let me ask you this," he said. "What _exactly_ is the Order after? And who the hell is Dante?" His voice was more stern. Credo began to circle him, and then stopped.

Within a split second, he unhinged his sword and lunged at Nero. "You do not demand answers from me!" Nero's eyes widened in disbelief as he quickly jumped back, evading the large swing of the sword the hit the Ancient Grounds with a loud_ ting_.

Just as Nero had his footing, Credo postured up and swung once again. With lightning fast reflexes, Nero held up his forearm and Credo's mighty sword bounced off of it like water to rock. He stumbled backward and frowned at the hellish blue and purple forearm of Nero.

"You possess the power of a Demon?" he asked, heaving with exertion as he pointed the tip of his sword at Nero's chest. Nero closed his eyes and clenched his fists.

"Back down", he started as he opened his eyes. "I don't want to hurt you. I won't do that to Kyrie."

Credo smirked, his sword still pointed at Nero's chest.

"Hurt me?" he said as he scoffed. "You just don't get it."

"Do you?"

Credo lowered his arms as a golden mist began to engulf his entire body. He grunted with pain as the mist climbed toward the sky. He pulled his arms in and lifted his knees to his stomach and began to ascend.

When he was far enough above the ground, Credo released his arms and legs and let out a loud cry. The fading golden light that radiated from his new form covered Nero's face.

"You too?" he said in shock.

His combat boots were now replaced with a pair of purplish-charcoal talons that had golden claws protruding out where his toes should have been. Glowing yellow and gray leg gauntlets rose all the way up and stopped at mid-thigh. A muscular white chest and hips encased a charcoal gray midsection that was cracked with shining blue veins. A few white feathers broke away from a pair of gigantic white, golden, and charcoal wings that flapped in and out slowly, allowing him for float in the air. His face was now the same color as his midsection, except for his now yellow beard that covered the entire lower section of his chin. His long black tail whipped around in the strong, hot wind.

"I have been chosen to take the next step in evolution…to become something far more than _just human_!"

Nero could not believe what his eyes were showing him. Credo was so noble and valiant. How could he too be one of them?

Angelo Credo raised his chin high. "I am an Angel!"

Nero took a step forward and gritted his teeth. "You're wrong, Credo. All that you have become is a Demon!"

Credo's red eyes focused on Nero's small frame. "As Captain of the Holy Knights, you are under arrest."

Nero smiled.

Angelo Credo aimed the tip of his sword at Nero's face. "It is the wish of His Holiness!"

He slowly descended to the stone ground and crouched down. He flipped his large, golden sword around in his hand and swung is behind his head. As Angelo Credo closed his eyes, the sword began to glow red with power. He opened his ruby red eyes and looked a Nero across the Ancient Training Ground.

"Show me what you've got!"

Nero braced himself as Credo hurled the glowing red sword at his throat. He rolled to his right. He quickly looked up but to his surprise, Credo was gone. Nero had a second to look behind him as Credo swung the gigantic sword at his head once again. Nero knew now that he had to respect Credo's speed in his Angelic form. He must have been fast enough to throw the sword, make his way to the other side of the arena, and catch it before it fell off of the unguarded edge of the circular grounds.

If only he could get him far away enough to throw it again. He was sure he could catch it. Nero once again rolled to his right and pushed off of the ground with his hands. Gunshot after gunshot began to pierce Credo's unbreakable shield two rounds at a time as Nero kept firing his Blue Rose while spinning through the air.

As he landed, Credo lunged at him with amazing speed. He knocked Nero to the ground with a forceful shove of his shield then planted his right foot into stone where Nero's face would have been a split second before.

Nero kicked out the strong leg and stood up. Credo staggered and brought up his shield once again as Nero's foot collided with it. The Angelic Demon stumbled back a few steps as Nero gripped his Red Queen Sword and advanced.

With strike after strike, Nero managed to back the large Demon up close enough to the edge of the large circle. Credo grunted and lunged at him. His plan worked perfectly. He held up the Red Queen as it collided with Credo's shield and as planned, Nero flew back through the air to the other side of the arena.

Angelo Credo once again crouched to the ground and hurled his golden sword at Nero with all of his might. This time, Nero was ready.

He quickly slashed upward with the Red Queen. The strike forced Credo's glowing red sword spinning into the air. Nero discarded his sword and timed the descent of the other one in the air.

He caught it with ease, and with his cursed arm, threw it right back at Angelo Credo with amazing precision. His plan worked. The sword impacted Credo with enough force to send him into the other entranceway of the grounds. Panting heavily, he rose to his feet.

Nero smiled. "I know you're not done yet!" he yelled. Rage overcame his enemy. With unmatched speed, Credo once again lunged at Nero with his shield ready. Nero quickly grabbed it with his cursed arm right in its center and managed to draw Credo's power from it.

He threw Credo to the ground and marveled at his glowing blue hand. Credo's human form struggled to pus himself off of the ground.

"No!" he yelled. "Not yet!" Gathering what little strength he had left, he brought his sword upward and brought it down over Nero. "I'm not finished!"

It was too late. Before he knew it, Credo found himself once again face-down on the ground with his sword by him and Nero's arm raised across his body. No weapon could penetrate his Devil Bringer.

Credo, using his elbows to support his body, stared at Nero with disbelief. "Your strength has increased…."

Before Nero could respond, he heard a piercing scream from behind. A wave of emotion crashed over him as he stared into a beautiful pair of crying eyes.

"Kyrie…."

He tried to hide his arm, but it was too late. She had seen enough now to figure out his secret.

Nero slowly walked toward her. "No wait…" he said. "This isn't what you think…." Kyrie was backing away from him. He had never felt worse.

"Why? Why did you do this?"

Nero's expression of sadness quickly turned to rage as another figure clad in white swept past him and grabbed hold of Kyrie's shoulders.

The sun gleamed off of his small clear eye piece. He was very similar to Credo except for his thick, orange gloves and the hideous hunch he walked with.

A thick lock of brown hair covered some of his wide grin as he spoke to Kyrie. "It was our intentions to protect you from the truth."

It was now Agnus's turn to point his silver and red sword at Nero. "_Nero _is a Demon!" he said to Kyrie as his impossible grin widened.

Nero took a step forward. "You son of a…!" Agnus quickly hopped behind the girl.

"Nero…."

He stopped when he heard Kyrie's voice.

"Not to worry, I have no intentions of harming her..." Agnus pulled the large sword up to her neck. "Yet." Nero was sickened. Agnus, chief scientist for the Order of the Sword was now using Kyrie as a human shield.

Nero frowned as Agnus squinted. "It would appear your att…att…attachment extends beyond friendship."

"She has nothing to do with this! Let her go!" cried Nero as Agnus took another step back along with Kyrie.

Nero turned back. He heard another voice.

"Agnus!" Credo yelled as he slowly rose to his feet and staggered toward everyone. "How dare you use my sister?!"

He continued to creep closer and closer to his sister and the fiend that was holding her. "This is my fight…and I will finish it!"

Even in defeat, Credo remained noble and persistent. That much, Nero respected.

Credo straightened up and held up his chin. "Let her go."

Agnus once again grinned like a child with a secret. "His Holiness predicted your defeat and so ordered that your sister be _utilized_!"

Even the way Agnus spoke infuriated Nero. He lunged forward. With a flash of light, both he and Credo were thrown back. The new hideous, orange and grey moth-like form of Agnus now clutched Kyrie high above the Ancient training Ground.

With a gesture of his sword, Angelo Agnus spoke. "If you want her, the come and get her, for I cannot guarantee her fate!"

With a sickening cackle, Angelo Agnus flew away behind the tall white tower of the grounds.

Credo crouched on his knees. "His Holiness….he used Kyrie?" he coughed. Credo had always been the superior warrior and the personal favorite of Sanctus. Why was his sister now a pawn?

Nero was filled with unbelievable rage. He picked up Credo and shook him violently.

"Where is he taking her?! Back to Headquarters?!"

Credo back away and coughed again. "It would seem so."

He straightened up and looked Nero straight in the eyes. "Nero, we must set aside this battle until I found out the truth of this."

With much more exerted effort, Credo launched into his beautiful Angelic form and ascended into the grey skies above.

He would get to the bottom of things. He would find out the information about Dante and save Kyrie and if need be, kill both Agnus and Credo in the process. Nothing would stand in his way. Nothing. As Nero watched Credo fade away, something strange happened. He felt something.

Whether out of love or pure rage, his morbid arm began to throb with pain for the first time….


End file.
